Endemic Flea-Borne Typhus- Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

What Is a Flea Bite?

A flea is a tiny wingless insect that lives on various animal body surfaces. Their little hind legs enable them to jump swiftly. Their bite can be easily distinguished from other insects, as it causes red bumps in the form of three to four clusters or straight lines. The bite also has a distinguished red halo surrounding the bite center.

What Is Endemic Typhus, the Flea-Borne Disease?

Endemic typhus, or flea-borne is caused by bacteria called Rickettsia felis or Rickettsia typhi that is spread by fleas. It is also called murine typhus.

What Causes Endemic Flea-Borne Typhus?

Typhus is caused by gram-negative coccobacilli-shaped bacteria. They grow within the cell they infect. The bacteria become infected into the dormant state and further multiply. Typhus follows an animal (cat, rat, or mouse) to the vector(flea and louse) cycle. Humans are affected when vectors come into contact with them.

How Does Flea-Borne Endemic Typhus Spread?

It spreads when the person comes into contact with an infected rat flea. As the flea bites the infected animals, such as cats, rats, or opossums, it becomes infected by itself too. When an infected flea bites a person, minor cuts can be seen as the bite having the potential to break the skin and cause a wound.

Where Do Fleas Live at Home?

Mattresses, cushions, and carpets are the most common places they harbor. Pets like dogs and cats usually transfer the fleas in furniture areas where they sleep, and from here, they spread at a rapid rate of 40 to 50 per day, as a single female flea produces around 2000 eggs in her life cycle. Depending on the surrounding conditions like temperature and humidity, it takes 1 to 10 days for an egg to hatch. After hatching, it enters its larval stage and can easily survive up to two to three weeks without entering the host.

What Is the History of Typhus, Flea Borne?

The vector-borne disease first arrived in Europe in 1489, then the outbreak occurred in England from 1557 to 1559 and killed 10 % of the population.

What Are Symptoms of Typhus, Flea Borne?

• Fever and chills.

• Stomach pain.

• Muscle ache.

• Joint pain.

• Nausea.

• Loss of appetite.

• Vomiting.

• Cough.

• Rash.

• Back pain.

• Headache.

• Diarrhea.

• Delirium.

• Confusion.

• Eye sensitivity due to bright light.

• Swollen lymph nodes.

• Red sore or lesion on the skin at the site of the bite.

• Septic shock (refers to a condition in which the blood pressure drops to a low level after infection.

• Kidney damage.

• Myocarditis (refers to inflammation of the heart muscle).

How Soon After Exposure Do Symptoms Occur?

Endemic typhus and flea-borne symptoms occur after 6 to 14 days of exposure. However, it commonly appears 12 days after exposure.

Which Places Are Commonly Affected by Typhus?

Typhus,flea-borne, is most commonly seen in the Gulf of Mexico, California, Texas, and Hawaii.

Which Animals Are the Source of Infection?

Norway rats, opossums, and cats carry fleas which carry fleas which transmit diseases.

How Is Endemic Typhus Diagnosed?

Diagnosis of endemic typhus, flea-borne is based on signs and symptoms of the disease.

• Skin Biopsy: It is done by obtaining a skin sample from the rash.

• Immunofluorescence Test: It is done using fluorescent dyes to detect the presence of typhus antigen in samples of serum taken from the bloodstream.

• Blood Test: Thishelps in indicating the presence of any infection.

How to Manage Endemic Typhus?

Endemic typhus is treated with antibiotics based on the patient’s symptoms.

• Personal hygiene maintenance. It helps to guard against the infected cat or rat disease.

• Storing food in tight containers.

• Sealing of the holes in the house to inhibit the entry of rodents.

• Always wear gloves while handling dead and infected animals.

• Chemoprophylaxis along with Doxycycline.

• Elimination of rat exposure.

• Use insect and tick repellent to keep the flies away.

• Open trash cans, fallen fruit, and bird feeders attract rodents and other animals. All fallen fruits should be picked up, and do not leave food out for pets or animals.

• Stay away from overcrowded places where fleas or lice are present.

• Avoid visiting places that have grassland and bushes.

• Wear a long sleeve shirt, trousers, and insect repellent.

• Sanitizing clothes after coming home.

• Consult a veterinarian for pest control on pets.

How Can One Detect That the Pet Is Free From the Fleas?

Applying petroleum jelly to the flea comb and brushing the pet twice is recommended. If the pet still has fleas, they will stick to the petroleum jelly and be visible.

What Are the Risk Factors of Typhus?

Endemic typhus usually occurs in port cities where the population rate is high. Poverty-stricken areas, homeless camps, and disaster zones are where the chances of flea infection are high. This condition may also give rise to diseases like typhoid, cholera, and tuberculosis. Fleas are more active during spring and summer.

What Are the Treatments for Typhus?

Typhus, flea-borne, is treated with the help of antibiotics like Doxycycline, Azithromycin, Chloramphenicol, or Tetracycline. The dose recommended for adults is 100 mg twice daily. The duration of therapy is 7 to 10 days.

What Is the Prognosis of Typhus?

Early diagnosis and proper treatment can provide an excellent prognosis. However, untreated, delayed, and undiagnosed typhus has a poor prognosis.

What Are the Complications of Flea-Borne Typhus?

• Hepatitis occurs due to inflammation of the liver.

• Gastrointestinal hemorrhageis defined as bleeding inside the intestine.

• Hypovolemiais defined as a decrease in blood flow volume.

• Renal insufficiency refers to poor functioning of the kidney that reduces blood flow to the kidney via the renal artery.

• Pneumoniais defined as an infection due to fluid-filled or purulent material in the lungs that cause symptoms such as fever, chills, difficulty in breathing, and cough with phlegm or pus.

• A central nervous problem isa group of neurological structures affecting the spinal cord and brain function.

Conclusion:

Typhus, flea-borne, is a vector-borne disease. There is no such vaccine made for typhus or flea-borne. Doxycycline is the drug of choice in typhus, a flea-borne endemic. Humans become infected by exposure to infected fleas. The incubation period is usually 1 to 2 weeks. Typhus flea-borne is sometimes fatal.